In 1987 Benetton effectively became the Ford works team in F1 as they had exclusive use of the turbochargedFordTECV6 engine for 1987, rated at approximately 900 bhp (671 kW; 912 PS). Driven by BelgianThierry Boutsen and ItalianTeo Fabi, the team and the B187 got off to a good start with Boutsen finishing 5th at the season opening Brazilian Grand Prix, but after that the high boost the team ran in order to keep up with their competition saw the reliability of the TEC engine become suspect. However, by running less turbo boost (which hampered speed but also saw the reliability woes go down), by mid-season both Fabi and Boutsen were regularly challenging the top 4 teams of McLaren, Williams, Lotus and Ferrari for podium finishes. Boutsen led the Mexican Grand Prix (the race the team had won in 1986) before being forced to retire.

Boutsen finished the season in 8th place with 16 points while Fabi, in his last year in F1, was 9th with 12 points scored. Overall with the B187, Benetton finished 5th in the constructors championship with 28 points. For Benetton this was a 9-point and 1 place improvement on the 1986 season, although unlike 1986, the team did not win a race in 1987.

The B187 was the last of the turbo cars produced by Benetton (dating back to when Toleman produced its first car, the TG181 in 1981) and was replaced in 1988 by the Naturally aspirated, Ford DFR, V8 powered B188. The B188 would the first car constructed by the team, either as Toleman or Benetton, that would not be powered by a turbocharged engine.

The B187 was driven by Jackie Stewart in 1989 as part of a show where he drove a number of race cars, including several Formula One machines, and declared it to be one of the better cars he drove. The B187 was the last F1 car driven by Teo Fabi, the Italian being pushed out of the team for 1988 with the signing of fellow Italian Alessandro Nannini. With no offers for a drive in 1988, Fabi's last race for the team was the Australian Grand Prix. It was at this race that a disgruntled Fabi deliberately held up Boutsen from lapping him for several laps despite repeated pit board signs and radio messages to let his team mate past.